Morphological features and chromosome numbers in cultures of five Cephaleuros species (Trentepohliaceae, Chlorophyta) from Japan

P>The morphological features and chromosome numbers were examined in cultures of five species of Cephaleuros; C. aucubae, C. biolophus, C. japonicus, C. microcellularis, and C. virescens, collected from Japan. On agar media of Bold's basal medium and CA medium, radial growth of the algal colonies was vigorous in C. virescens, moderate in C. aucubae, and poor in C. microcellularis, but varied from poor to moderate in isolates of C. biolophus and C. japonicus. Filaments of C. virescens branched at an angle less than 40 degrees and just below the cross walls, while those of the other species branched at an angle greater than 40 degrees without relation to the cross walls. The length of filamentous cells was significantly smaller in C. microcellularis than in the other species. The chromosome number differed with the species: n = 22 in C. aucubae, n = 34 in C. biolophus, n = 18 in C. japonicus, n = 12 in C. microcellularis, and n = 24 in C. virescens. The chromosome number did not vary between isolates from filaments and gametes in C. aucubae and C. biolophus and among those from filaments, gametes, and zoospores in C. japonicus and C. virescens.